The Top 30 Albums of 2012

Now that all of the big releases are out for 2012, it's time to count down the top 30 albums of the year! Last year only left me with a top 20, but there have been so many great albums, or at least albums with a couple good songs, that I've extended it to a top 30.

Last year, Talk That Talk narrowly edged out 21 for the coveted top spot of the year. It was based simply on the amount of good songs on an album divided by the total number of tracks to come up with a percentage. This year, things are a bit different. The ratings have been a bit more complex.

The first component of the score is good tracks. I developed a fraction. For example, I liked 14 songs out of 16. That's 87.5%. This percentage was multiplied by 500 (the possible total points for this component). This album would receive 438 points.

The second component is the number of scrobbled plays on my last.fm. Say this given album has 150 plays. That transferred into 150 points.

Finally, I added the two together to get an overall score. This album would have 588 points.

30. Ne-Yo - R.E.D.

Ne-Yo's latest album produced more likeable tracks than he usually does. The dance pop infused album also includes his normal R&B sound.
Key Tracks: Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself), Cracks in Mr. Perfect, Forever Now, Carry On (Her Letter to Him), My Other Gun
Based on tracks = 5/18 - 28% - 139 points
Plays - 21
Total - 161 points

29. Lana Del Rey - Paradise

Lana Del Rey delivered this EP in the last quarter of the year. It was something everyone was hoping would be as amazing as her album, but it was a severe letdown. Maybe it was TOO much like her album in the end. It was too flat. The only thing it really has going for it was the shock effect of Cola.
Key Tracks: Ride, Cola, Gods & Monsters
Based on tracks: 3/9 - 33% - 167 points
Plays - 12
Total - 179 points

28. Tim McGraw - Emotional Traffic

Tim McGraw puts out his last release from his current label this January and it feels almost like a rush job. I didn't get into it as much as I expected, but I did fall in love with 3 tracks.
Key Tracks: Better Than I Used to Be, The One That Got Away, Halo
Based on tracks: 3/12 - 25% - 125 points
Plays - 55
Total - 180 points

27. Calvin Harris - 18 Months

Ever since Guetta dropped Nothing But the Beat, DJs seem to be popping out albums with tracks featuring big names. This year was the year of Calvin Harris. A lot of the tracks were released way ahead of the album's release in October. Lucky for Calvin, I let him count some dated songs...
Key Tracks: We Found Love (feat. Rihanna), I Need Your Love (feat. Ellie Goulding), Sweet Nothing (feat. Florence Welsh), Let's Go (feat. Ne-Yo), Bounce (feat. Kelis)
Based on tracks: 5/15 - 33% - 167
Plays: 15
Total - 182 points

26. Chris Brown - Fortune

This horrible addition to Chris Brown's discography actually managed to chart through some massive Christmas generosity on my part. I did not hold against it the terrible majority of the album, but gave it fair consideration for the few tracks that were actually good.
Key Tracks: Turn Up the Music, Bassline, Don't Wake Me Up, Till I Die, Party Hard, Trumpet Lights
Based on Tracks: 6/19 - 32% - 158 points
Plays - 33 plays
Total - 191 points

25. Justin Bieber - Believe

 Justin Bieber actually delivered an album I can stand to listen to a few song. He's never made one of my album lists before. While his raspy voice shows signs of exiting puberty and declining vocal talent, it delivers a couple songs that I have listened to throughout the year, most notably Boyfriend.
Key Tracks: Boyfriend, Beauty and a Beat, Believe, Fall, All Around the World
Based on tracks - 5/17 -  29% - 147 points
Plays - 49 points
Total - 196 points

24. Usher - Looking 4 Myself

While I can say I love this album, it really only delivered a few good songs, like most Usher albums. Overall, I would say this album is a step up from his last few. It took a couple months to grow on me, but finally I liked 6 tracks.
Key Tracks: Numb, Scream, Dive, Euphoria, Can't Stop Won't Stop, Lemme See (feat. Rick Ross)
Based on tracks: 6/18 -  33% - 167 points
 Plays - 31
Total - 198 points

23. No Doubt - Push and Shove

After a 9 year hiatus, No Doubt busted back onto the scene this year to only mediocre success and joins the lower portion of the chart that has the albums with only a few good songs. While I've never been a No Doubt fan that loves the entire album, I have to say they've done better.
Key Tracks: Push and Shove, Settle Down, Looking Hot, Dreaming the Same Dream
Based on tracks - 4/12 - 33% - 167 points
Plays - 35 points
Total - 202 points

22. Matchbox Twenty - North

 Another band returning from almost a decade hiatus finds themselves hanging slightly about No Doubt. Matchbox Twenty has always been one of my favorite alternative bands, but, sadly, I could not really get into this album. There are a couple standout tracks that still make this a solid effort.
Key Tracks: She's So Mean, Sleeping at the Wheel, English Town, Radio, Overjoyed
Based on tracks - 5/12 - 42% - 179 points
Plays - 28 points
Total - 207 points

 21. Cheryl Cole - A Million Lights

 Stunting one of the most bland covers of the year, Cheryl throws this bland mosh of generic pop tracks with symptoms of dubstep-overdose. The only track that seems to stand the test of time is Call My Name. However, I ranked it by giving props to the tracks that kept me entertained for a couple weeks after the release.
Key Tracks: Call My Name, Boys Lie, Last One Standing, Girl in the Mirror, One Thousand
Based on tracks: 5/15 - 33% - 167 points
Plays - 49 points
Total - 216 points

20. Pitbull - Global Warming

Despite my ongoing attempt to hate Pitbull, I can't resist the infectious tracks on Global Warming. He honestly gets better with each album, despite the overwhelming amount of samples he uses. Back in Time and Don't Stop the Party are so much fun! This tied with A Million Lights, but won out by being better.
Key Tracks: Back in Time, Don't Stop the Party (feat. TJR), Feel This Moment (feat. Christina Aguilera), Global Warming (feat. Sensato), Get It Started (feat. Shakira), and Last Night (feat. Havana Brown and Afrojack)
Based on tracks: 6/16 -  38% - 188 points
Plays - 28 points
Total - 216 points

19. Alanis Morissette - Bright Lights and Havoc

 Alanis returns with her first album in four years and with one of her least cohesive albums. It was hard to get into a lot of her tracks, but Guardian is a stand out track, infusing rock elements like she did in the tracks that made her famous on Jagged Little Pill. Overall, it wasn't a total disappointment.
Key Tracks: Guardian, Woman Down, Spiral, Havoc, Lens
Based on tracks: 5/14 - 36% - 179 points
Plays: 48 plays
Total - 227 points

18. B.o.B - Strange Clouds

B.o.B. makes a stellar sophomore effort, exhibiting much improvement since his debut album. The beats are sick and the collabs are intense. It's sad that this didn't sell that well.
Key Tracks: Outta My Mind (feat. Nicki Minaj), Strange Clouds (feat. Lil Wayne), Both of Us (feat. Taylor Swift), Chandelier (feat. Lauriana Mae), Ray Bands, Castles (feat. Trey Songz), So Good
Based on tracks - 7/15 -  47% - 234 points
Plays: 43 points
Total - 277 points

17. Karmin - Hello

 The best white rapper since Eminem emerges into starlight this year...and it's a woman! This duo has created some fierce and infectious tracks such as the title track!
Key Tracks: Hello, Crash Your Party, Broken Hearted
Based on Tracks: 3/7 -  43% - 215 points
Plays: 64 points
Total -  279 points


 16. Ellie Goulding - Halcyon

Ellie's sophomore effort is such an improvement over her debut. Lights only sported one good track, the title tracks. This album caught my attention with Explosions and grew on me from there on out. Very good album, just not something I'll play out.
Key Tracks: Explosions, Halcyon, I Need Your Love (Feat. Calvin Harris), Anything Could Happen, Only You, I Know You Care, Figure 8
Based on Tracks: 7/15 - 47% - 234 points
Plays: 48 points
Total - 232 points

 15. Train - California 37

Train is one of the few alternative bands that I can say I have developed an honest liking for over the years. I have 6 tracks I like off of this album but the two singles really carry the most water for it.
Key Tracks: 50 Ways to Say Goodbye, Drive By, This'll Be My Year
Based on plays: 6/12 - 50% - 250 points
Plays: 44 points
Total - 294 points

14. Flo Rida - Wild Ones

 I'm almost mad that this is so far up the list because...well, it's Flo Rida. The only thing that helped it out was it being an EP, making the fraction even out to a higher percentage. I let it stay here to be fair and because the first two singles and even the third one are enjoyable!
Key Tracks: Wild Ones (feat. Sia), Good Feeling, Whistle
Based on tracks: 5/9 -  56% - 278 points
Plays: 54 points
Total - 332 points

13.  Rihanna - Unapologetic

I desperately wanted to love this album after Talk That Talk claimed the top spot last year. Sadly, despite her attempt to infuse substance in this album, the whole thing seems forced, leaving very few good songs that I can see standing the test of time in my iTunes library. So here I am, unapologetic that Rihanna flops to #13 this year.
Key Tracks: Diamonds, What Now, Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary, Phresh Out the Runway, Half of Me, Pour It Up, Jump, Right Now
Based on tracks - 8/15 - 53% - 267 points
Plays - 74 points
Total -  341 points

12. Maroon 5 - Overexposed

As albums go for Maroon 5, this appears to be their most solid album, despite the atrocious cover. I usually only care for 3 or 4 tracks when they drop an album, but I can say I like the majority of this album!
Key Tracks: Payphone (feat. Wiz Khalifa), One More Night, Lucky Strike, Tickets, Sad, Daylight, Wipe Your Eyes, Doin' Dirt, Beautiful Goodbye
Based on Tracks: 9/16 - 56% - 281 points
Plays - 110 plays
Total - 391 points

11. Lana Del Rey - Born to Die

From what struck me as incredibly dull at first listen, this quickly grew into one of the best breakthrough albums of the year. Sure, she never spawned a successful US single, but that's no reason to ignore her. Her imagery and dark sound make her music special and it really is amazing.
Key Tracks: National Anthem, This Is What Makes Us Girls, Radio, Born to Die, Diet Mtn Dew, Off to the Races, Lucky Ones, Without You
Based on Tracks - 8/15 - 53% - 267 points
Plays - 125 points
Total - 392 points

Now here's where the game changes. Instead of listing just the good tracks, since these albums are the most solid of the year, I will list a few of the best and a few to skip.

10. Marina & The Diamonds - Electra Heart

Marina really grabbed my attention with this album. I didn't get the hype surrounding her first album, but this album is excellent. Definitely deserving of it's position on the chart. If you haven't checked her out yet, do it now!
Key Tracks: Primadonna, Starring Role, Homewrecker, Bubblegum Bitch, Sex Yeah, How to Be a Heartbreaker
Skip: State of Dreaming, Teen Idle, Valley of the Dolls
Based on Tracks - 9/14 -  64% - 321 points
Plays - 113 points
Total - 334 points

9. Rita Ora - ORA

Continuing the British invasion of the top 10 of 2012 comes Rita Ora with her debut album ORA. While I did not play this album that much, the amount of likeable tracks hoisted it to the top. A lot of the songs were good, but were just too generic to make a huge impact. This album has yet to even see a US release. Hopefully Rita will hit the studio again and come back with an album that will hit top 5 next year!
Key Tracks: How We Do (Party), R.I.P. (feat. Tinie Tempah), Roc the Life, Radioactive, Been Lying, Hot Right Now
Skip: Crazy Girl, Meet Ya, Uneasy
Based on Tracks: 11/15 -  73% - 367 points
Plays: 69 points
Total: 436 points

8. Adam Lambert - Trespassing

Adam blasts back onto the scene this year with Trespassing and blew away his debut album. This is pure electro pop awesomeness. Filled with club bangers and anthems, this album delivers beyond expectations.
Key Tracks: Trespassing, Better Than I Know Myself, Cuckoo, Shady, Pop That Lock, Take Back
Skip: Kickin' In, Nirvana, Broken English
Based on Tracks: 10/15 - 66% - 333 points
Plays: 153 plays
Total - 486 points

7. Carrie Underwood - Blown Away

Carrie's fourth studio album is a bit darker than her previous work and is incredible. It's probably her second best album yet. I love the darkness in the first three tracks. Best country album of the year!
Key Tracks: Blown Away, Two Black Cadillacs, Good Girl, Cupid's Got a Shotgun, One Way Ticket
Skip: Wine After Whiskey, Leave Love Alone
Based on Tracks: 10/14 - 71% - 357 points
Plays: 131 points
Total - 488 points

6. Christina Aguilera - Lotus

 Xtina puts her best foot forward musically with this album. It's incredibly solid and no track really stands out as a weak spot, such as Sex for Breakfast did on Bionic. The commercial failure is her label's and her own fault for the messy promo she has done and the shoddy single choices. This is probably her best album since Stripped.
Key Tracks: Army of Me, Empty Words, Let There Be Love, Make the World Move (feat. CeeLo Green)
Skip: Shut Up, Light Up the Sky, Red Hot Kinda Love
Based on Tracks: 13/16 -  81% - 406 points

Plays: 136 points
Total: 542 points 

5. Taylor Swift - Red

From the release of We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, I was skeptical on how I would feel about this album. I knew I didn't like the album artwork, nor did I like Begin Again when she released it. However, Red and I Knew You Were Trouble. kept me locked in. Finally, the album arrived and, while it was not as good as Speak Now, it was a solid effort that I grew to love.
Key Tracks: I Knew You Were Trouble., Red, All Too Well, 22, Treacherous, State of Grace, Starlight
Skip: Sad Beautiful Tragic, Come Back... Be Here, Stay Stay Stay
Based on Tracks: 16/19 - 84% - 421 points
Plays: 171 points
Total - 592 points

4. Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded/The Re-Up

Nicki Minaj brings forth her second studio effort Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded this year. The artwork was stunning with all the colors, but still a total mess. The album is a schizophrenic hip-pop/pop/rap mosh of music. The original deluxe release contains 22 tracks. The Re-Up, released in November, adds 7 more tracks of pure (and awesome) hip hop to the mix to make up for what the original release was lacking. With the surplus of tracks, most of them being good, the whole package lands itself at #4 for 2012.
Key Tracks: Pound the Alarm, Up in Flames, I Am Your Leader, Roman Holiday, Starships, Va Va Voom, Masquerade, Hell Yeah, Freedom, Marilyn Monroe
Skip: Gun Shot, Sex in the Lounge, Champion, Young Forever, High School
Based on Tracks: 22/29 - 76% - 379 points
Plays: 262 points
Total - 641 points

3. Madonna - MDNA

 The driving force behind pop music for decades returns this year with what could potentially rank up as one of her best albums. Never being much of a Madge fan prior to this album, it really grabbed my attention and made me fall in love. It's a bunch of fun and a whole load of fierce. Definitely better than her last studio effort, Hard Candy.
Key Tracks: Give Me All Your Luvin' (feat. MIA & Nicki Minaj), I Don't Give A (feat. Nicki Minaj), Girl Gone Wild, Turn Up the Radio, Gang Bang, Falling Free
Skip: I'm Addicted, B-day Song
Based on Tracks: 14/16 -  88% - 438 points
Plays: 238 points
Total - 672 points

2. Ke$ha - Warrior

The Glitter Queen cometh! Her second full length studio effort blew me away. This electro pop album mixed with some "cock-rock" and rock elements makes for a perfect follow-up to Animal/Cannibal. I have yet to decide which of K$'s albums I like the best, but all the time waiting for this paid off.
Key Tracks: Thinking of You, Gold Trans Am, Warrior, Die Young, C'mon, Wonderland, Crazy Kids, Wherever You Are
Skip: Only Wanna Dance With You
Based on Tracks: 15/16 -  94% - 469 points
Plays: 305 points
Total - 774 points

1. P!nk - The Truth About Love

 While people will probably base this on my bias towards my number one love, this is a completely fair decision. P!nk has delivered the most solid and amazing pop rock album of 2012. It is incredibly solid including the bonus tracks and b-side. I am still singing along to this album in the car daily event thought it was released in September.
Key Tracks: Try, Blow Me (One Last Kiss), Slut Like You, My Signature Move, Is This Thing On?, Walk of Shame, Just Give Me a Reason (feat. Nate Ruess), True Love (feat. Lily Rose Cooper)
Skip: Chaos and Piss
Based on Tracks: 18/19 - 95% - 474 points
Plays: 408 points
Total - 882 points

And there you have it: the top 30 albums of 2012! Many great albums and songs were released over the course of the year and I cannot wait to see what 2013 holds in store! Until then, take time to get to know the albums on this list you don't know!  

Leak/Review: Ke$ha - Warrior (Deluxe)

After one of the messiest leaks in the history of digital music, Ke$ha's new album has graced our ears in high quality during the past week. The album hit shelves today. Ke$ha had promised rock influence on this album and delivers on a few tracks, but still manages to include the sound that made her famous on the majority of the album. Select tracks stand out as utilizing rock influence such as Gran Trans Am and Dirty Love. On the other hand, her usual trashy-pop flavors shine in Die Young, C'mon and Only Wanna Dance With You.

The demo of Only Wanna Dance With You leaked around a year ago and everyone seemed to think it was a left over from Cannibal. It was decent, but nothing special. The album was supposedly going to be titled Spandex on the Distant Horizon. Frankly, it's kind of sad that it's not, but I like the title Warrior too. In 2011, K$ had said she intended to release the album in May 2012. It's understandable why the wait for Warrior was so agonizing.

But, finally, it is here! And the worth was totally worth it. Die Young was released in late September and serves as a great lead single. C'mon is set to be the second single and was confirmed by Ke$ha on twitter. I do not think C'mon is the best option for second single, but we will get to why later.

Let's do a track-by-track breadown:
1. Warrior - the album opens with the title track and one of the best anthems of the year. Much like P!nk opened with Are We All We Are, Ke$ha opens with a major anthem that calls her animals to fight. "C'mon animals, are you ready to fight?" leads into lines such as "fight for the f**k-ups, stand up for true love." It's brazen and amazing in true Ke$ha style. One of the best tracks on the album, though, after breaking the record in, it seems a bit repetitive. 8/10
2. Die Young - She works her typical magic on this track. It's pure pop gold and radio is eating it up. It's blazing trails on iTunes. Ke$ha finds her first smash of the era here. It's currently one of the most played tracks in my iTunes. It's incredibly catchy and the video was one of her best yet. 9/10
3. C'mon  -  Great Ke$ha fun is delivered in what seem to be a direct continuation of Die Young. I find myself singing this in my head during the day and she sounds amazing in it. As for it being chosen for the second single, I think that's still a terrible choice. 7/10
4. Thinking of You - I have been in love with this since the low quality leak! It's on replay and totally needs to be a single. It's just that anthem for that ex who screwed you over and is now going nowhere in life and is pathetic. The bridge is totally better than the chorus as she blatantly calls some dude out, "I know I said I wouldn't talk about you publicly but that was before I caught you lying and cheating on me, slut, I was down for you hardcore while you were out trying to score, You're full of it, I'm over it so suck my dick." EPIC. 10/10
5. Crazy Kids - One of the first leaks from the album. It took some time to grow on me with the mixture of acoustic rock and typical K$ pop. After getting used to it, it's become this album's We R Who We R. It'll end up getting the single treatment even though I think there are much better options. 7/10
6. Wherever You Are - An honest, serious song about someone she loves. It's good and makes me slightly emotional about people I've moved away from, but in the major scheme of things, this falls short as one of the forgettable tracks. However, on Warrior, the forgettable tracks are still good! 7/10
7. Dirty Love (feat. Iggy Pop) - My first reaction to this song was WTF. It seemed to be a mess and her way of trying too hard to infuse rock into this album. The only place I had heard of Iggy Pop before was from his collab Kick It with Peaches. Slowly, especially after the Rick Santorum joke, this song has grown on me. It's a good one for running on the treadmill. Overall, still one of the weaker tracks on the album. 6/10
8. Wonderland - An amazing ballad that leaves me aching for the care free days with my friends in high school and college. It's nostalgic and amazing. A lot of people see this as one of the weaker tracks, but I have a personal connection to it that makes it awesome. 9/10
9. Only Wanna Dance With You - This seems to be the most generic pop song on here and one of the only tracks that really strikes me as a filler track. It's fun, but I had heard the demo almost a year ago and was kind of over it by the album release. 6/10
10. Supernatural - I like the song, don't get me wrong. I just do not see the hype. The drop from the chorus back into the verses feels forced and unfinished. I still enjoy the song and I foresee this being a single, but I don't really see anything exceptional here. Also, I think she was just being an ass and pulling one over on everyone when she says it's about having sex with a ghost. The English major in me gets the metaphor....and those that don't are actually believing her! 7/10
11. All That Matters (The Beautiful Life) - This song really came off as a filler when I first listened to the album because I was mesmerized by the epic tracks like Thinking of You. I ignored this for awhile. Now that I've given it the proper attention it deserves, I've fallen in love with this anthem about being in love with life. Ke$ha is truly inspirational on this album and it's good to see she didn't fully depart from the sound that made her famous. 8/10
12. Love into the Light - While I don't have this song on repeat, it still has an amazing and totally true message that I dig. The only problem I find with it is that the delivery is a bit dry and boring. However, still an exceptional song! 7/10
13. Last Goodbye - I feel like this song has been done before (all references to the similarity to Payphone's beat aside). It's good, but not my favorite on this album. 6/10
14. Gold Trans Am - YES, YES, YES. This is my jam! Wam bam thank you ma'am for this track! It's stellar rock and not to be missed. The usual Ke$ha fun shines through as she rocks out about sex, her Gold Trans Am, and jonesing for a mustache ride. Don't miss this....unless you don't have a sense of humor! 10/10
15. Out Alive - Another anthem where Ke$ha reminds people who take life to seriously that nobody is getting out alive. She reminds us to live it up. A solid pop track that could easily be the Super Bass of Warrior (though I'm hoping that Gold Trans Am will do that instead). 9/10 
16. Past Lives - Eh, at first I found this track dreadfully boring. Eventually I got into it and it's a great love song. It's definitely different than the usual romantic song. K$ pulls out her vulnerable and raw side and it's good. However, I feel the track is a little weak as a closing song. 6/10

Overall -  7.6/10

Easily one of the best releases of the year. It is definitely contending for a top 3 spot on my top albums of the year charts. Rihanna needs to take notes from someone with a dollar sign in her name who is coming for Rih's wig. This album rocks. Ke$ha is the only star who can infuse senseless pop music with such amazing depth and quality. This long awaited comeback totally pays off. I cannot wait for the amazing videos and performances that are about to stem from this era. Ke$ha cannot go wrong with this album! Don't miss this one!  Hopefully this can beat out Wiz Khalifa for that #1 spot!

Check out the video for Die Young below:

Buy on Amazon!

Single: Carrie Underwood - Two Black Cadillacs

Carrie Underwood has begun promoting her third official single Two Black Cadillacs with the first performance at the AMAs last week. The performance was not her absolute best, but still was better than any live performance by Rihanna or Katy Perry easily. 

This gorgeous, All American woman is basically the new Shania Twain. Every single she has released has landed at #2 or #1 on the country Billboard charts. Hopefully Two Black Cadillacs will be no exception.

The track is definitely a pop crossover smash which features a darker side of Carrie's dark side. She's shown her darker side on tracks like Last Name and Before He Cheats. However, none of those tracks have dabbled in murder. The single tells the tale of a man's wife and mistress plotting revenge on a man who "wouldn't get away with doing this to them." The wife never meets the mistress until the actual funeral, but obviously they have conspired together over the phone to do away with the no-good husband. I just love revenge stories and this one event tops Goodbye Earl by the Dixie Chicks. Goodbye Earl was fun and campy. Two Black Cadillacs is dark and enticing. 

This song was always asking to be a single. Blown Away was the obvious choice for second single and this was the ideal choice for third single. Carrie's team has always been perfect regarding single releases and promotion so I expect nothing less than perfection from her.

The video trailer was released on Vevo on Black Friday and shows what could potentially be her most spectacular video yet! I cannot wait until January 2013 for it! It needs to come sooner. Check out the trailer below:

 

For those who have not yet heard this future classic, check it out in full below:

 

Overall: 9.5/10

Leak: Cher - Woman's World

The long awaited lead single from Cher's comeback album is finally here! A snippet, as played in a Detroit nightclub, made its way online a few weeks ago, sparking outrage from Cher. She tweeted that she was not angry over the leak, but that they played the demo. She promised that the final version was much better. The demo in its entirety showed up online yesterday. Cher and her team must have decided they had lost this war and chose to finally release the single. Scheduled for an initial January 2013 release after the demo snippet leaked and caused a pushback.

Cher premiered the song on her soundcloud account around midnight this morning and stated that it will be officially out on Monday.

Check out the track below:
Listen to Cher's Woman's World

The track is quite catchy. The club banger takes off right from the start with a feminist anthem of independence and strength after a broken heart, much like Believe with more muscle. Cher bellows long and amazing notes, that first really showed the strength of her voice in You Haven't Seen the Last of Me from her 2010 film Burlesque. Do I think this track will be as successful as Believe? No. The track is great and a whole lot of fun, however, it is tailor-made for the club scene. I don't see this taking off on radio, but will be thumping through every gay bar in the nation by next weekend. The track is nearly flawless regardless. The only part I found that seemed out of place was the repetitive part about everyone in the club standing up. Once again, that part immediately sinkholes the track from any possible radio success.

As for me, I'll be enjoying this song for a long time to come and cannot wait for her album, especially for the P!nk-penned track I Walk Alone. This album seems to be Cher showing her independence. While she's almost pushing 70, you can't tell it. Those that know her age may find it odd that she's singing about dancing in a club, but the track is awesome. The cover is a bit iffy. She looks overly photoshopped and I hate her auburn hair. I do like the font they used for her name. You can see it by the sound cloud track, I haven't managed to get my hands on an actual single cover copy yet. I really do hope this comeback will do better for her than Madonna's MDNA! I've always loved Cher over Madonna. I think it's because I feel that P!nk and Cher are a lot alike, making Cher instantly likeable. Though I prefer her 80's rock, I can't wait for the new album!

Overall, 7.5/10

Leak/Review: Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded The Re-Up

I have to say, I did not expect this to be good. It's a re-release of a massive, schizophrenic mosh pit of genres cram-packed into one small disc. I expected some lame tracks like Champion or Sex in the Lounge when she promised rap Nicki. However, she completely delivers and overrides my original thoughts. The snippets were a letdown...but let me tell you, this actually blew me away on certain tracks.

Track-by-Track Review
1. Up in Flames - Her rhymes are flawless and this song is hot. The woman singing in the chorus isn't that great, but this song is absolute fire. Amazing. 9/10
2. Freedom - This track is just okay. It really got my expectations low for The Re-Up. This track is boring like Champion. It's nice to listen to, but, even after multiple plays, I can't recite lyrics. It has no catchiness factor. 5/10
3. Hell Yeah (feat. Parker) - Eh, not totally feeling this one. It isn't something I'll frequent but it was decent for one or two listens. Parker is once again what holds the track back. 5/10
4. High School (feat. Lil Wayne) - This track is fun, but incredibly dirty. "Her p***y is like an oven, too hot to put my tongue in" is probably the most awkward thing Lil Wayne has ever uttered. I won't frequent this too much, but it is better than Freedom and Hell Yeah. 6/10
5. I'm Legit (feat. Ciara) - Okay, when I saw that The Re-Up has features by Ciara and Cassie, I really thought this was Nicki's charity gig for has-beens, but both women turn it out. This track is one of the best, dripping with independent female swag. I love it! 8/10
6. I Endorse These Strippers (feat. Tyga & Brinx) - I really thought I would hate this track. The snippet didn't do anything to change that feeling. The full track just blew my mind. It's so fierce, sexy, and amazing. Hands down the best track from The Re-Up. It's strikingly similar to I Luv Dem Strippers where she featured for 2 Chainz, but this track kills it. Her raps are flawless and intense. This will make its way to my year end Top 100, despite such a late entry. It'll rack up those cumulative plays in no time! 10/10
7. The Boys (feat. Cassie) - Originally, this made me think The Re-Up was going to be messy. I hated it. It seemed like 3 tracks edited together for a schizophrenic stop-go mess. Over time, Nicki's killer raps got the best of me and I fell in love with this song. I'm not totally here for Cassie's parts, but it isn't like it's wretched or anything. Plus, the video was totally cool. Definitely a highlight. 7/10
8. Va Va Voom  - Should I waste my time reviewing this again? I guess it makes sense to include it on The Re-Up since the re-release only includes the standard version of Roman Reloaded. However, they should have added Masquerade too because it's flawless. Va Va Voom's video really killed the song for me. Her videos have a notorious habit of going nowhere when they could have been amazing (i.e. Va Va Voom, Turn Me On, Right By My Side, etc.).  Since the original review, I've lost interest in this song so I'm going to dock it to a 7/10.

This album truly exceeded my expectations tremendously. Nicki proved she still has that flawless rapping queen that we knew from Pink Friday and her mixtapes left in her. The Re-Up complete makes up for the garbage tracks on the original (Gun Shot, Champion, Sex in the Lounge, etc.). The re-release could have honestly infused these tracks and dropped some of the old to make a completely perfect rap album. I love Nicki and Lil Kim, but I have to say Nicki has more rapping talent than Kim ever did....she just needs to showcase it more often. Her flow in Up in Flames and I Endorse These Strippers is sick in such an amazing way. I will be jamming on this. It totally overshadows Unapologetic. The album cover for The Re-Up completely showcases Mixtape Nicki too. She's absolutely gorgeous, I wish she'd stop trying so hard to be blonde. The cover is far far less messier than the original standard and deluxe covers. Keep killin' em, Nick.

Average Rating - 7.1/10

Artwork:

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Leak/Review: Rihanna - Unapologetic (Deluxe)

Rihanna's upcoming seventh studio album finally leaked yesterday. Being known for extremely early leaks, it comes as a shock that we had to wait so long to get a hold of it. It's all over the internet and I won't post links here.

Preface: So...where to begin with this review. Let me preface anything I'm going to say by saying that Rihanna used to be my #2 favorite. Rated R was amazingly fierce and completely original. Loud was an amazing follow-up and probably one of her most cohesive albums. Talk That Talk was fantastic musically, but the problems begin here. Her entire Talk That Talk era was a mess. She opens it with the biggest smash of her career, We Found Love. It looks like this could shoot her further to the top of pop. After We Found Love, she released You Da One (a terrible single choice) way too soon after and doomed it. From there, the single releases were all sloppy: Talk That Talk, Birthday Cake, and Cockiness. The only other real hit she pulled out of the era was Where Have You Been. I love the music on that album and it could have been an amazing success if she didn't just fall apart. Her personal life started to overpower her music with stupid, senseless decisions she was making, such as this constant need to cling to the drama surrounding her and Chris Brown. She acts like she needs that attention to continue her career. On top of that, she starts acting like a hot mess on Twitter with a bad attitude and drug paraphernalia pictures. Seriously? Plus the artwork for Talk That Talk was hideous and trashy. I feel like she rushes her albums way too fast. So that's where I stood by the time she wrapped up with that horrible Cockiness performance at the VMAs when she could have promoted Diamonds.

Unapologetic Review:
This album is a change of pace for Rihanna and I cannot necessarily say it is a good one. This album proved to me that Loud was probably her vocal peak. She could belt flawlessly on the track Complicated...but on tracks like What Now featured on Unapologetic, she falters on the longer notes. She seems to have a cluster of slow or midtempo songs that feature short, breathy notes which makes some of the songs seem off beat. I'll try not to point out any specifics in this general description and allow that in the track-by-track.

Once again, we find her doing another duet with Chris Brown. Here's that desperate cry for attention. Let it die. Please. This album is full of samples from Michael Jackson's The Way You Feel to Ginuwine's Pony to The Police's Message in a Bottle. Some tracks she delivers an 80s rock vibe to that I really found incredible production wise such as Love Without Tragedy / Mother Mary.

On a positive note, it seems that Rihanna is growing up and aiming for a much more mature sound. I'll give credit where it is due. So, props to her for that. She is no longer that immature rebellious young woman who says dirty stuff just to prove she can. I'm thankful for her being able to knock that off. Madonna lived once, find your own path, Rih dear.

Track-by-Track Review:
1. Phresh Out the Runway  - This song gives some serious Talk That Talk vibes and had me concerned off the bat. The track contains a fun and fast pace beat but I felt as if she was trying too hard to be Nicki Minaj and get that urban smash. Her voice seems flat and nasally in it, not an attractive sound for Rih. Overall, it's still one of the better tracks. 6/10
2. Diamonds - I did not like this song right away. It seemed that she was trying to pull the diamond imagery from We Found Love to coin another smash. However, this is a beautiful song and a unique decision for lead. Upon hearing the whole album, I could not pick a more flawless lead single choice. I hope she gets that next #1 single with Diamonds. 10/10
3. Numb (feat. Eminem) - This song is so flat, terribly flat. I don't like her voice as deep as it seems in some of the songs on this album. This seems like she's trying to hard to fit in the urban crowd. Eminem is amazing and should have had a longer feature. His part is good, but I am getting sick of these two collaborating much like her and Chris. Overall, Eminem can't make up for Rihanna's lackluster performance. 4/10
4. Pour It Up  - This initially struck me as another flat, deep song that would annoy me when I heard the snippet. Once I had the full thing, I quickly found it one of the catchiest songs on the album. 7/10
5. Loveeeeeee Song (feat. Future) - I knew I would hate this song from the moment I read the obnoxious title and it totally lived up to my expectations. For once, Rihanna doesn't kill the song herself. Her parts are decent, but this Future guy is terrible...and the six extra E's on the title. No, just no. 4/10
6. Jump - This song better be a single at some point. The Ginuwine sample of Pony is simple fantastic. Mixing in some dubstep creates a twenty-first century club banger for the ages. So much fun. She'd be dumb to not release this....but then again her last era of single choices was treacherous. 9/10
7. Right Now (feat. David Guetta) - Add Guetta to Rihanna's lineup of usual suspects. The two pair up again to create what is sure to be a smash, although all too predictable, single choice. The beat goes hard and the song isn't half bad. 7/10
8. What Now - One of the better slow songs. It definitely had potential to be heart-wrenching if she didn't falter on the longer notes. They could have at least touched it up in the studio. The breakdown is what completely sold me to liking this song. 6/10
9. Stay (feat. Mikky Ekko) - I know I was complaining about her re-using features, but who is this guy? I really just can't get into this song. It's flat and boring from both parties. 5/10
10. Nobody's Business (feat. Chris Brown) - This guy again. BIG SIGH. The song's lyrical content is completely pleading for more drama. I have to say the 70s funky vibe to it is awesome, but Rih could use some English lessons. It's "nobody's business" not "nobudy biznih." Get Chris Brown's wand outta your mouth and speak clearly. The song could have been better if it featured someone else. 5/10
11. Love Without Tragedy / Mother Mary- I don't get why she tied these two songs together really, but I like the Love Without Tragedy portion more than Mother Mary. Borrowing the track from The Police's Message in a Bottle, it has that 80s rock feel which makes it unique. One of the better tracks for sure. 7/10
12. Get It Over With - This is a decent song, but it seems too long. I read a comment somewhere where someone had said this would have served as a good interlude. Honestly, I feel that way too. It's flat and anti-climatic but has great lyrics. 6/10
13. No Love Allowed - While Man Down seemed like one of the worst tracks on Loud, this song is actually one of the better songs on Unapologetic. I guess it shines in comparison to its competition on this album. The chorus is great, but I never really have enjoyed the Island feel to these songs. 6/10
14. Lost in Paradise - This song is on the better half of the record. I feel that the DJ going "bass slap" in the dubstep breakdown kinda throws off the song, but it's cool at the same time. This has single potential. 7/10
15. Half of Me  - A fantastic ballad about the life of the rich and famous. I like it a lot, more than I expected. However, it comes off as a bit anti-climatic in the end. I love the verses. 8/10

Overall, this is potentially Rihanna's weakest album since 2006's Girl Like Me.  She is overusing the same collaborators as she has in the past couple of years. The album comes off as very subpar, like a rush job....oh wait, her albums are all rush jobs since Loud. She tries to cram a lot of the tracks into an urban mold. I don't know why she thinks that that's a good idea. I mean look at others who have tried it: Keri Hilson, Ciara, Keyshia Cole....you get the picture? In fact, Rihanna can't even pull it off as well as they did. The flat sound she puts off in those songs is unbecoming. I don't think I will frequent this album anytime soon or in the future in the way I do with Rated R and Loud. Talk That Talk was even more solid and cohesive than this...and that's not saying much. The only cohesion this puts off is that the majority of it is slow and boring. The album artwork is an absolute mess, with random words sloshed all over it, words that have no relation to the music for the most part.

Album average - 6.1/10

Album artwork

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Review: Christina Aguilera - Lotus (Deluxe)

The long anticipated return of Christina Aguilera is officially upon us. Rumors began circulating in mid-January about her comeback single being titled "Love Your Body." Turns out, rumors were almost correct when she unveiled her lead single "Your Body" in September. The single did anything but take off. With it's opening week sales, it saw its peak at #34 on the Billboard charts. From there it sunk on the charts. It only received mediocre reviews. Let's hope Lotus can live up to its name and endure these hard times. It is predicted to only sell 75k in its first week. Could these be the end times for Xtina?

Aside from the sales and airplay issues she's finding, the content of this album is actually great. The album is far more cohesive than Bionic was in 2010. A lot of the tracks are dismissible after a couple listens, but there are some that will surely become fan favorites for ages to come. Let's break down the track listing:
1. Lotus Intro - This intro really should have been considered a song, considering it has a run length of 3:17. It gets a bit repetitive, but I love the Lotus theme and imagery. All in all, it serves as a great intro, but is a bit unnecessarily long to be considered an intro. 7/10
2. Army of Me - Proclaimed as Fighter 2.0 by Christina herself, I had high hopes for this track and it definitely delivers. I love belting along to this track in the car and really can identify with it. Is it as good as Fighter? Hell no, but still a good song. 9/10
3. Red Hot Kinda Love - One of the dismissible tracks I referenced earlier. It's got a great beat and a real 80s pop feel. However, I feel the way she says "co-o-o-o-l" in the chorus kills the flow and breaks up the vibe. If she had done it in a smooth manner, this song could have been epic. Unfortunately, it comes across as simply mediocre. 5/10
4. Make the World Move (feat. Cee-Lo Green) - I did not anticipate liking this song at all. I have never been a fan of Cee-Lo Green. Thankfully, he doesn't have that big of a part. I love the message of this song and the overall feel of it. My favorite lines are "The time is now / No time to wait / Turn up the love / Turn down the hate." This song should definitely serve as a single. 9/10
5. Your Body - While I like this track, the first thing I have to say is what in the world was she thinking releasing this as the lead single? The song is good, but very reminiscent to me of Not Myself Tonight....and we see where that got Bionic. The video was cute, however, this album would be doing so much better if a different lead single had been chosen (and if she had promo-ed more). Overall, 6/10
6. Let There Be Love - The ideal choice for the second single. It's a good song that showcases her vocals, but not one of my favorites. The reason it should be the second single is that it is enough of the generic pop-dance garbage that the radio is eating alive right now. It would get her name back out there and rack up the airplay. 7/10
7. Sing for Me - I was absolutely FLOORED by this song. It brought me to tears on the first listen. This is the Xtina I know and love. Her vocals are killer and totally flawless. You cannot miss this one! 10/10
8. Blank Page - A nice ballad but has some issues. I feel there is no flow or rhythm to it. The lyrics are great and so are Xtina's vocals...as usual. I just can't get into this song, but I respect it. 6/10
9. Cease Fire - When the snippets came out, I thought this would be one of my favorites, but now that I hear the full thing, it feels so forced. She seems to struggle to make the lyrics fit to the beat and the track itself falls flat. 4/10
10. All Around the World - I like this song and it definitely has a chance to smash the club. As much as I want to not like it because it feels generic, I catch myself jamming to it in the car. So, I have to give props where they are do. This falls a lot into the vein of Let There Be Love. 6/10
11. Circles - If you cannot get into this song, someone has obviously never pissed you off. This is an anthem to certain people in my life. I love how different the sound of it is too. The filter on her voice in the chorus does remind me of the Speak-era Lindsay Lohan in songs like Anything But Me. It's probably the most catchy song on the album. 8/10
12. Best of Me  - I like this track a lot for its lyrical content. However, as an English teacher, I have a problem with the line "you won't get the best of me no more." Every time I hear it, I mentally correct it to "anymore." I don't find myself listening to it all too much. It's a nice ballad but has nothing on Sing for Me. 6/10
13. Just a Fool (feat. Blake Shelton) - I would have loved for her to collaborate with someone who isn't on The Voice. It's tacky to only feature the two judges she hadn't previously worked with. However, this song delivers. It could easily become a country smash. 7/10
14. Light Up the Sky - A decent anthem and I respect the effort....but, by this point in the album, she's gone over the same thing at least three times. This one is a little flat. 5/10
15. Empty Words - There are no words for this song other than FLAWLESS. I am in love. Easily my second favorite on the album. I can't even point out the best parts of the song. The lyrics are phenomenal. Check this out! 10/10
16. Shut Up - It's campy, but, after some time, can grow to be amusing. I would have preferred they didn't do a tacky censor job on it. Maybe that was the point to make it campy. It's not like the album wasn't already explicit because of Circles though..... 5/10

I would like to personally thank Christina for leaving off the million little interludes she normally utilizes. The album is empowering and probably Christina's second best album, only second to Stripped. Make sure to check it out!

Overall average - 6.5/10

 

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